Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 34016 Richard Faraday Price

Age: 20
From: Toxteth
Regiment: LNLANCS
Died on Wednesday 7th March 1917
Commemorated at: Assevillers Nbc
Panel Ref: X.A.6

Richard Faraday Price was born on 07th January 1897 the son of James Henry Price and his wife Eleanor (nee Lynam). He was baptised at St Clements Church in Toxteth on 07th April 1897. His parents were both born in Liverpool, married in 1881, and had six children. His father was a marine engineer and Richard had 5 sublings; James Henry, Elizabeth Eleanor, George Edward, Elsie Lynam and Clifford.

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living at 12 Priest Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool. His father is a 42 year old engine fitter born in Liverpool, his mother is 38 years of age and was also born in Liverpool. There are six children in the household, all born in Liverpool; James H. is an 18 year old safe maker, Elizabeth is a 16 year old dressmaker's apprentice, George is 13, Elsie L. is 6, Richard is 4 and Clifford is 1.

The 1911 census finds them at 63 Wordsworth Street, Toxteth Park, with six children at home, as well as widowed grandmother Elizabeth Price, 73. His father is 52, an engine fitter for a ship owner, his mother is 48. They advised that they had been married for 30 years and had six children all of whom have survived and are in the household; James Henry, 28, is a carriage cleaner for the L.N.W. Railway, Elizabeth Eleanor, 26, has no occupation, George Edward, 23, is a clerk for a wire rope manufacturer, and Elsie Lynam, 16, is a typist in an insurance office. Richard, 14, and Clifford, 11, are at school.

Richard enlisted in Liverpool joining The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 33238. His elder brother George, had the adjacent regimental number 34015. The medal roll shows that both brothers went overseas with 7th Bn Loyal North Lancs Regiment, were subsequently posted to the 1st Bn L.N.L., and both served in ‘A’ Company.

The Battalion War Diary showed that in March 1917 the 1st L.N.L. was in trenches near Dompierre-Becqaincourt, southwest of Péronne.

On 7th March the battalion carried out a raid on enemy trenches in front of Barleux Quarry. The raiding party consisted of five officers, 15 NCOs, and 122 men. The objects of the raid were to capture prisoners, machine guns, and trench mortars; to destroy dugouts and any mine shafts; and to damage enemy trenches as much as possible.

After preliminary wire cutting and an artillery barrage, the raiders left their trenches in four waves at zero hour, 4:15 a.m. The enemy immediately responded with a trench mortar barrage, rifle grenades, and machine guns. The enemy line was strongly held and few of the raiding party got through the enemy wire. They withdrew after suffering heavy casualties.

Casualties: 2 Officers wounded, 10 O.R. Killed (including Richard), 6 O.R. Missing (including his brother George), and 45 O.R. Wounded.

The Division Commander praised their “fine offensive spirit”, and the detailed planning, and was sure better results would have been achieved had it not been for the enemy’s “great state of preparedness”.

He was killed in action on 07th March 1917, aged 20.

His family paid tribute in the Liverpool Echo on 21st March 1917:

“March 7, killed in action, aged 20 years, Private (Signaller) Richard Faraday (Dick) Price, Loyal North Lancs. Regiment, third son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Price. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord.” His sorrowing Father, Mother, Sisters Lizzie and Elsie, Brothers Jim, George (in France), and Clifford, Brother-in-law Fred, and Grandma, 63, Wordsworth Street, Liverpool.”

(His parents evidently had not yet been informed that George was Missing; they were informed that he was a POW by the International Red Cross on 4th April 1917.)

Richard's death was reported in the local press on 03rd May 1917:

TWO LIVERPOOL BROTHERS

Signaller R. F. Price, who was killed in action on March 7 last, was educated at St Clement's school and the Liverpool Institute, afterwards entering the service of the African Association Limited, Liverpool. He joined the Liverpool "Pals" in November 1915 when only 18 years of age and was drafted to France in December 1916, and attached to the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

His brother, Signaller G. E. Price, who enlisted with him, was reported missing after the same engagement, but has since written home from Germany, where he is a prisoner of war. Prior to joining the forces he was in the employ of Messrs. R. S. Newall and Son, Bootle. Their Officer, writing from France, says:- “They were two awfully decent chaps, and their platoon misses them very much, as must everyone who knew them.” Their parents reside at 63, Wordsworth Street, Liverpool.”

Dick was buried close to where he fell and, after the war, when graves were concentrated from the battlefields and other smaller cemeteries, his body was removed and reinterred in Assevillers New British Cemetery in France at plot X.A.6 where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"ALWAYS REMEMBERED"

Assevillers was taken by the French in the autumn of 1916, evacuated by the Fifth Army on the 26th March, 1918, and retaken by the 5th Australian Division on the 28th August, 1918.

A number of cemeteries were made by the French troops at Assevillers, and in one ("E"), at the West end of the village, 13 soldiers from the United Kingdom were buried by Field Ambulances in February and March, 1917; they are now reburied in Fouquescourt British Cemetery.

Assevillers New British Cemetery was made after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of the Somme and from other burial grounds.

There are over 800, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, two-fifths are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 25 soldiers and one airman from the United Kingdom, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of nine soldiers and two airmen from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery covers an area of 2,655 square metres and is enclosed by a stone rubble wall.

Dick was remembered by his family on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Daily Post on 07th March 1918:

In loving but sad remembrance of Signaller RICHARD FARADAY PRICE (Dick, our hero, Loyal North Lancs., who was killed in action March 7 1917

He went to be with Jesus, we could not stay his flight

He rose above the darkness, we still remain in night

The parting was so bitter, the meeting will be sweet

The sweeter for the parting, when we our loved ones meet

We could not guess the purpose of parting us below

But what just now we know not we shall hereafter know

Never forgotten by Father, Mother, Sisters Lizzie and Elsie, Brothers Jim, George (prisoner of war), Clifford and Fred (on service) - 63 Wordsworth-street, Liverpool.

PRICE - In loving memory of DICK who died bravely, March 7 1917

A loving hero, true and kind

A beautiful memory left behind

Nora

The same notices were placed on the second anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Echo on 07th March 1918.

His brother, George was held at Dülmen POW Camp (35 miles north of Dortmund) and was repatriated to the U.K. in December 1918.

Dick’s parents received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £7.

His father died in December 1918, aged 59.

The pension card shows that his mother was awarded a pension of 3/6d a week from January 1918, increased to 5/- from November 1918.

His mother died in 1933, aged 71.

Dick is commemorated on the following Memorials:

St Clements School, now housed at St Clements Church, Toxteth

Liverpool Institute now situated at the L.I.P.A. college, Mount Street, Liverpool.

We currently have no further information on Richard Faraday Price, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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(108 Years this day)
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Tuesday 30th April 1918.
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Tuesday 30th April 1918.
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Tuesday 30th April 1918.
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27 years old

(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
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(108 Years this day)
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(108 Years this day)
Tuesday 30th April 1918.
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(108 Years this day)
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A total of 14 Pals were killed on this day. View All